Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

When Nina Planck was on tour to promote her two earlier books Real Food and Real Food for Mother and Baby, the number one question she was asked was, “When are you going to write a cookbook?” At long last, the Real Food Cookbook is here.

In a dietary landscape overfull of low-carb bread and triglycerides, Planck is revolutionary in her complete embrace of a more old-fashioned way of eating. Aptly described by the Washington Post as “a cross between Alice Waters and Martha Stewart,” Planck showcases our traditional, real foods — produce, dairy, meat, fish — whose nutritional virtues she explained in her earlier books, through recipes that are both exciting and accessible to the home cook. The Real Food Cookbook takes 100 classic dishes, from starters, soups and salads to the center of the plate, dessert and a cheese course, and makes them anew, transforming them with fresh herbs, butter, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. With essays and tips throughout, sharing Nina's own real lifestyle with cheesemonger husband and children, The Real Food Cookbook will provide inspiration for those seeking the variety of the omnivore's table. Complete with more than 100 full-color photographs throughout, these recipes will liven up a weeknight, family dinner or please the masses at a holiday meal.

Review

"Planck promotes her 'good and simple' philosophy of eating (Real Food: What to Eat and Why) in a collection of 150 straightforward, trend-bucking recipes. In this green-market driven cookbook, the Virginia farm girl and creator of London's first farmers market shows home cooks how to bring authenticate, traditional dishes to the table. Planck's recipes celebrate the thrifty, seasonal, local, and home-made approach to cooking. Simple, yet sophisticated dishes are the result: chicken (free range) dishes include Coq au Vin; Poached Thai Chicken Curry; and a White Chicken Stroganoff with Dill. Planck reveals the 'secrets of the pumpkin family,' and features many dairy-based desserts as well as instructing cooks how to prepare stocks and demi-glaces and serving cheese as a main course. She also provides a chapter on the essential breads. Beverage recipes praise home-crafted fruit sodas, fermented teas, and kefirs. How to prepare Passover seder and a small farm barbecue gives readers a glimpse of Planck's family table on two special occasions. Recipe notes compare from-scratch versions of dishes with grocery versions, and Planck's personal narrative reflects her Virginia farm roots; she also includes essays that inspired her viewpoint. Proper foodstuffs for the basic pantry, the glories of cooking with cast iron, and a 'shopping list' sharing favorite purveyors and producers are included. Planck reminds cooks that traditional methods for producing meals from authenticate foodstuffs are, in fact, a truly modern culinary approach. (June)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Synopsis

When Nina Planck toured to promote her two earlier books, Real Food and Real Food for Mother and Baby, the question she heard most was, “When are you going to write a cookbook?” At long last, TheReal Food Cookbook is here.

In a dietary landscape overfull with low-carb bread and dubious advice about triglycerides, Planck is revolutionary in her complete embrace of a more old-fashioned and diverse way of eating. Aptly described by the Washington Post as “a cross between Alice Waters and Martha Stewart,” Planck showcases traditional, real foods — produce, dairy, meat, fish, eggs — through tempting and straightforward recipes for the beginner or regular home cook.

The Real Food Cookbook takes 150 classic dishes, from starters, soups, and salads to the center of the plate, to sweets and the cheese course, and makes them anew, transforming them with Nina's signature approach: using fresh herbs, good butter, seasonal fruits and vegetables, grass-fed and pastured meats, and whole grains. With essays and tips throughout, sharing Nina's own real-food lifestyle, TheReal Food Cookbook will provide inspiration for any omnivorous cook or eater. Find recipes for every occasion: a cheese plate with drinks, a family Seder, Easter egg salads, a summer barbeque. Learn how Nina stocks her pantry and where she buys real food. Whether you're preparing the meals or simply eating them, everyone will enjoy the stories, feast on one hundred gorgeous full-color photographs, and beg the family cook to make the meals Nina loves.

About the Author

Nina Planck is a farmers' daughter, food writer, farmers' market entrepreneur, local foodist, and advocate for traditional foods. She will liberate you to eat red meat, butter, raw milk, and lard. After reading Nina's work, you will eat the foods of your ancestors with pleasure and with impunity. Men and women planning to be parents will find her prenatal advice bracing and life-changing. She is the author of The Farmers' Market Cookbook, Real Food: What to Eat and Why, and Real Food for Mother and Baby, and the founder of the wildly popular London Farmers' Markets. Nina is a gifted speaker, a home cook, and a mother of three. She lives in New York City.